My children, like most, absolutely love Easter. For me, it has always been a time of year to bring the family together and celebrate spring. Longer days, sunny skies and everything coming to life in the garden. I don’t even mind the little April showers.
This year we will have our annual Easter party with a visit from the Easter Bunny and an Easter Egg hunt along with a family meal. However, there is still a two week school holiday to fill with activities and entertainment for the children. So why not get the kids into the kitchen and bake! Whether it’s to use up the last of that Easter chocolate or to create an Easter twist on a traditional recipe, who needs a reason to have some chocolatey fun this April!
Easter Nest Cakes Recipe
The children absolutely love making Easter Egg cakes – these simple firm favourites can be made using a different cereals and chocolate to accommodate for those with Dairy Free or Gluten free diets. Simply swap the cereal/chocolate with one that is suitable. I love encouraging my children to get in the kitchen to cook and bake. We love to use Shredded Wheat for that extra fibre intake and that authentic nest look. We bash mini eggs with a rolling pin and sprinkle on the top of the nest. Remember – mini eggs are not suitable for under 3’s due to choking risk.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
This simple recipe is great for children of all ages and is packed with flavour. It is also a firm favourite here at Classroom Kitchen. It encourages children to develop their gross motor skills through mixing and kneading, leaving hands smelling of mixed spices.
Traditionally, Hot Cross Buns are eaten on Good Friday to mark the end of lent but these Easter delights are enjoyed in our house throughout the Easter period. It used to be believed that Hot Cross Buns baked on Good Friday would not go bad for an entire year, and if you hung up a Hot Cross Bun up in your kitchen, all the bread baked in that kitchen would turn out perfectly for the entire year.
Easter Fudge Recipe (Gluten Free)
Fudge is a traditional recipe that can be made all year round but this particular recipe is Gluten Free and Coeliac friendly and is one of my favourites. It only contains 3 ingredients – Chocolate (Milk or White), Condensed Milk and Mini Eggs.
It takes just 10 minutes to make, 3 hours to cool down and set in the fridge and makes up around 30 servings depending on size.
See recipe here at https://glutenfreecuppatea.co.uk/2022/04/14/3-ingredient-mini-egg-fudge-recipe/
Simnel Cake Recipe
Simnel Cake is traditionally baked around Easter – this fruit filled cake is decorated with 11 balls of marzipan which represents 11 of Jesus’ disciples minus Judas. It is a light fruit cake which is also associated with Mother’s Day.
Mary Berry recipes were instilled in me from a young age. My Grandmother, 90 this year, encouraged me to bake and cook from a very young age, as I have done with my children. She loves Mary Berry and the easy nature of her recipes. This recipe for a traditional Easter Simnel cake is so light and uses the all in one method of baking – quick and easy for children of all ages. Encourage children to weigh the ingredients, add them all together and mix until combined. Quick and easy with flavoursome results.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/mary_berrys_simnel_cake_49483
Whether you’re off visiting family, heading out in search of the Easter Bunny on an Egg hunt or simply enjoying a few days at home, head into the kitchen and have some baking fun! Remember to tag Classroom Kitchen in your chocolatey bakes!
Behind the blog…
Lauren Mullen – Admin Assistant for the Classroom Kitchen Service!
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